Current Residents

PGY-3 (Class of 2021)

Joshua Carlson, MD, MPH - Chief Resident
Undergraduate: University of Denver
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in IM: Pulmonary/Critical Care, Global outreach/Mission work, Academics
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Cooking, spending time with wife & family, exercise/playing tennis, non-profit Mission on Fire
Why you chose NBI: I was so grateful to have clinical rotations at NBI during my third and fourth year clerkships, which set the tone for my whole future. It was such an incredible experience working with fellows from nearly every fellowship and learning from brilliant attendings who were both approachable and amazing clinicians. I knew that I would not get an education like this at any other residency. Nowhere else has such friendly people, camaraderie, and teamwork, which shown especially during the COVID peak in New Jersey. I am very passionate for Internal Medicine, Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine, and teaching, and my hope is to apply this locally and globally to help as many as possible.
Gouthami Chennu, MD
Medical School: Gandhi Medical College, Hyderabad, India
Interests in IM: Cardiology, Preventive Medicine
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Cooking, biking, long drives.
Why you chose NBI: I completed my medical school in India and moved to USA in 2016 with dreams of pursuing internal medicine residency. I was so impressed by the huge diversity of patient population and great range of pathology at the NBI that I decided this is going to be my destiny for IM residency. The attendings here are very approachable and helped me in adjusting smoothly to the new system. I hope to pursue a career in cardiology and excited to see what awaits for me in future. My favorite part of the program is the supervised autonomy which gives us great confidence to work independently after graduating.
Asad Chohan, MD
Undergraduate: University of Punjab, Pakistan
Medical School: King Edward Medical University, Pakistan
Interests in IM: Pulmonary diseases, Critical care medicine
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Eastern civilization history, swimming
Why you chose NBI: New Jersey is a well-connected state in between two megacities. NYC was my initial home in US and close proximity to the city has always been a major plus. NBI is also one of the best medical centers in the state with a high patient volume and immense learning opportunities.

Francisco Gallego Valderrama, MD
Undergraduate: Middle Tennessee State University
Medical School: Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara
Interests in IM: Hospitalist, Primary Care.
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Traveling, cooking, playing soccer/tennis, fishing, exploring NYC, spending time with family and friends.
Why you chose NBI: I was born in Colombia and moved to United States when I was 12. After completing undergraduate school in Tennessee, I moved to Mexico for medical school. Through my medical school, I had the opportunity to rotate in multiple hospitals in NJ during my 5^th year of medical school. After completing that year of rotations, I knew that I wanted to stay in NJ for my residency. I chose the Beth because of the volume and diversity of the pathology that you see, which means an advanced level of training in Internal Medicine. The great working atmosphere at the hospital and the great camaraderie among its residents were other reasons why I chose Newark Beth Israel Medical Center for my Internal medicine residency training.
Audai Ma’ayah, M.D
Medical School: Jordan University of Science and Technology-Jordan
Interests in IM: Interventional Nephrology, Kidney transplant, Education
Hobbies and Interest outside of Medicine: Music, playing the Middle Eastern drum, kayaking, spending time with my family and friends.
Why you chose NBI: I was born and raised in Jordan and moved to Omaha, NE in 2015. I stayed in Omaha for 3 years before moving to New Jersey to complete my residency. I was set on NBI as soon as I conducted my interview with them. Dealing with the diverse patient population at NBI and the vast pathologies we encounter makes every day an exciting and interesting challenge. NBI has helped me nurture many relationships with the staff and fellow residents while fostering an environment of teamwork and growth that I am forever grateful for.

Alexis K Okoh, MD - Chief Resident; Healthcare Quality Improvement
Undergraduate: Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
Medical School: Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
Interests in IM: Disparities in Healthcare
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Soccer, Travelling, Photography
Why you chose NBI: Growing up in an underserved region of west-Africa, basic amenities were far from reach and healthcare was a luxury reserved only for emergencies. Inspired by this experience, I aspired for a career in medicine.
After medical school, I relocated to the United States to pursue post-graduate medical education. My ideal preference was an environment that would train me to improve healthcare access and outcomes for minorities, socio-economically disadvantaged groups, and other vulnerable populations. The Internal Medicine program at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center (NBMIC) was the best choice and I have felt beholden for that priceless opportunity since the beginning of my training.
The program offers comprehensive training in an academically challenging environment with inspiring mentors and teachers. Additionally, the wide array of pathologies and hands on experience with patient care contribute immensely to developing a trainee into a master clinician.
In the future, I look forward to pursuing a career in healthcare disparities research and I feel NBIMC has prepared me well for this role.

Chaitanya Pal, M.D. Chief Resident
Medical School: Norman Bethune Medical University
Interests in IM: Critical care, Pathophysiology, Evidence based medicine
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Photography, Hiking, Puzzles
Why you chose NBI: I was born and raised in India, and my medical training has taken me through different parts in and out of India. I was drawn to Internal medicine as it requires an intricate mix of strong clinical acumen, intellectual rigor and a humane understanding of the patient's needs. As I was finally looking to advance my medical career, I had the opportunity to work at NBI as a medical extern. What has stood out from the very beginning was an extremely supportive and diverse group of residents, staff and faculty. I was constantly facing diagnoses and illnesses only heard of in text books and then the challenge of facing the said pathology with the socio-economic constraints continues to make practicing medicine humbling and rewarding even till this day.

Omar Samih Qaqish, MD
Medical School: The University of Jordan
Interests in IM: Cardiology
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Cooking, water sports and Hiking
Why you chose NBI: Born and raised in Amman Jordan, then moved to the States. I started my journey by doing research at UCLA in California. Then I moved to New Jersey, to be trained at a program where I would see everything. I knew that If I trained at the Beth, I would acquire the knowledge, experience and skills to work anywhere else.
My dream is to continue my fellowship training at NBI.

Joseph Ruberwa, MD
Medical School: Makerere University Medical School, Uganda
Interests in IM: Nephrology, Critical care, Medical education and Global health
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Playing table tennis, soccer, hiking, reading history and spending time with my wife and 2 children.
Why you chose NBI: I was born and raised in Uganda and worked as a general practitioner prior to moving to the US. I fell in love with the program due to the camaraderie between residents, the vast pathology one encounters during the training, supervised autonomy accorded by attending physicians with the availability of procedural experience and the independence to perform procedures. After residency, I plan to pursue a Fellowship in Nephrology and hopefully venture into the field of academic nephrology and global health.

Gurdarshan Sandhu, MD
Undergraduate: Rutgers University New Brunswick, New Jersey
Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine
Interests in IM: Interventional Cardiology, Structural Heart Disease
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Music, working out, singing, poetry, skeet and trap shooting, Cricket
Why I chose NBI: I grew up in India and moved to New Jersey where after spending 10 years I like the state. I heard about NBI to be a good institution to train at. So therefore, I chose NBI as this was very close to my house and at the same time will provide me with the training I need as a resident to make me a well-rounded physician after graduating from here. The social network here at the program was amazing as mentioned by the previous residents when I was applying. I love my decision of choosing this place for my training as I have found lifelong friends, colleagues who are very helpful whenever you need them.

Mohammed Sharif, MD
Medical School: University of Medical Sciences and Technology
Interests in IM: Hematology/Oncology, Bone marrow transplant.
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Outdoor sports, boxing, quality family time, connecting with friends
Why you chose NBI: Why you chose NBI: I was living in Chicago at the time and I was looking to find new adventures at a new place. I wanted a place to challenge me and to provide me with hands-on training, with a diverse patient population. Above all, there was a unique vibe to this program during my interview. More than any residency program I interviewed with this program felt as though the residents truly enjoyed being with each other.

Yee Tchao, DO, MPH – Chief Resident
Undergraduate: University of Arizona
Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
Interests in IM: Preventative Health, education
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Running, playing with my dog daughter, eating ice cream
Why you chose NBI: Born and raised in Arizona, I went to college and grad school at UOFA. I moved across country and worked as an epidemiologist at the NY State Department of Health for a couple of years before going to medical school in NY. I did a rotation at NBI as a medical student and knew I wanted to apply here for residency. I wanted a program that would prepare me well to practice medicine anywhere and in any setting, and this program definitely provides that, along with great camaraderie among the residents.

PGY-2 (Class of 2022)

Naser A. Abdelhadi, M.D., MBA
Undergraduate: The Ohio State University
Graduate School: Plymouth State University
Medical School: American University of Antigua
Interests in IM: Cardiology
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Soccer, learning languages, Spend time with family.
Why you chose NBI: NBI is located in one of the most diverse areas in the country. There is a great exposure to a multicultural patient population with a wide variety of disease pathology in light of healthcare disparities. The resources at NBI and the 6+2 program structure give you unparalleled flexibility to tailor your training. The residents and faculty are very helpful and fantastic to work with.

Oluwakemi Adeyanju, MD
Undergraduate: Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Medical School: Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Interests in IM: Preventive medicine, continuation of care, advocating and serving the underprivileged particularly geriatric population.
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Quality time with my family, watching movies, cooking and dancing!
Why you chose NBI: After spending close to three decades in Nigeria, it’s not such a hard nut to crack that my ideal kind of learning environment will be a place where I can call my second home and integrate so easily while at the same time prepare me rigorously for the outside world post residency. The tour during the interview season at the Beth was my eye opener despite lack of prior exposure or rotation at the program. It is indeed diversity personified, the camaraderie amongst healthcare workers and the demographics it serves was just the butter on my bread!!

Krushna Amin, MD
Medical School: Pramukhswami Medical College, India
Interests in IM: Primary Care/Continuity Care and Hematology Oncology as Fellowship
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Drawing and Art, Travelling, Socializing with family and friends
Why I Chose NBI: As An IMG from India, my interview experience at NBI was very exciting. I was impressed with the patient population, pathologies, didactics as well as clinical aspects of the program. The residency program is very diverse including residents and faculty which fosters a balanced learning environment. This place gives excellent academic exposure with enough hands of experience opportunity. Also by being here it gives variety of fellowships opportunities including Hematology and Oncology that I am interested in. By matching into Beth Israel I found the program, I was looking for.

Mercy Anighoro, MD
Undergraduate:Delta state University, Abraka, Nigeria
Medical School: College of health Sciences, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria
Interests in IM: Primary Care, Geriatrics
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: I love to cook, solve puzzles and explore new places with my family.
Why you chose NBI: I was born and raised in the south- southern part of Nigeria, I became inspired to make a positive difference in the lives of others, especially those less fortunate growing up. That I achieved as a general practitioner in Nigeria after obtaining my medical degree from Delta State University before immigrating to the United States. I am excited about residency at Newark Beth Israel due to the great learning environment and super helpful faculty. I aim to be a trusted resource for my patients and believes its everybodies responsibility to reach out to others in need. My interests are outpatient internal medicine, geriatrics and Nephrology. To me, the best part of medicine is the opportunity to form relationships with patients.

Umair Khan, MD
Undergraduate: University of Texas at Arlington
Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine
Interests in IM: Cardiovascular, Nephrology
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Sports, travelling, snowmobiling
Why you chose NBI: I chose NBI because it pushes you from day one to take ownership of patient care and gives you autonomy to make medical decisions, but importantly does so in a supportive environment, with the help and support of your co-residents, and attendings. Residency as we all know is challenging, but the sense of community and collegiality in this program truly makes this experience fascinating. I am so fortunate I get to work alongside and learn from such an intelligent, compassionate, and fun group of doctors who go above and beyond for their patients. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Ling Lan, MD
Undergraduate: Sichuan University
Medical School: West China University of Medical Science
Interests in IM: Hospitalist/ Internist
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Yoga, Cooking, enjoying family times and my dog.
Why you chose NBI: I came from China and moved to New Jersey with my family. NBI is located in the Tri-State area and has top heart & lung transplant team. This hospital provides broad pathology, strong academic teaching and various fellowship programs. Most importantly, I love the friendly and supportive environment here. Beth is my top choice, I am so glad I am working here.
Ki (Steve) Lee, MD
Undergraduate: University of California, Irvine
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in IM: Critical care/Cardiology
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Cooking, Running, Snowboarding, Sports – Lakers, Dodgers, Rams, and spending time with family and friends.
Why you chose NBI: I grew up in Tucson, Arizona/Orange County, California through high school and undergraduate. I served in the Korean Army as a Combat Medic and I did a Post-Doc Research Fellowship at NYU School of Medicine where I studied the role of the immune system in pancreatic oncogenesis. As a medical student, I was able to do my Internal Medicine clerkship at NBI where I appreciated the diversity of clinical settings, pathology, and discovered a love for the process of developing a differential diagnosis. The program stood out for its diverse clinical exposure and the opportunity to work with underserved patient populations, made even better by the residents, leaders, and staff.

Okechukwu Okoye MD
Medical School: University of Nigeria, Enugu
Interests in IM: Inpatient and Outpatient Care, Research
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Music, sports, spending downtime with family and friends, mentoring.
Why you chose NBI: NBIMC by virtue of its location in an urban medical center very close a major international airport in Newark, provides good learning opportunities in terms of patient population and presenting pathologies. Internal Medicine program is very diverse both residents and faculty alike. The program has strong didactic and clinical training propelled by the most experienced faculty. It also helped that my interview experience at NBI was great. The residents and faculty I encountered were super friendly and warm which made me feel at home.

Shivani Patel, MD
Undergraduate: Montclair State University
Medical School: St. George’s University
Interests in IM: I wanted to do Internal Medicine because it was the rotation that I enjoyed the most during my third year of medical school and I loved the variety of diseases that we saw.
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: In my free time, I like to cook different types of dishes, travel when time permits and love spending time with my family.
Why you chose NBI: I’m extremely happy to train at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center for my Internal Medicine Residency where we get to a wide variety of cases. The residents are the strongest aspect of this program. The hospital provides me with the opportunity to work alongside great colleagues and to provide exceptional care to our patients with diverse socio-economic background.

Oluwakemi Phillips, MD
Undergraduate: University of Central Florida
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in IM: Global Health-Hospital Medicine/Critical Care Medicine
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Tennis, Hiking, Kayaking, Traveling
Why you chose NBI: It took one rotation for me to decide that this was not only the residency program but the community that I wanted to be a part of. Regardless of the diverse pathology that would see to my further development as a physician. It was the leadership that filtered down to attendings, fellows as well as co-residents making in NBI an environment that would not only challenge me but also allow for a collegial environment. Thus, creating an atmosphere that we all succeed as a team. After residency, my plans are still being finalized but I could not be happier with my choice of NBI as I know any door whether it be fellowship or internist will be open to me and my colleagues.

Corinne Raczek, MD
Undergraduate: Bucknell University
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in IM: Hematology/Oncology
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Traveling whenever I get the chance, being outdoors and hiking, going to the beach and boardwalk, spending time with family and friends.
Why you chose NBI: I was born and raised in Jersey, so I’m a Jersey girl at heart. But what really made NBI stand out from the rest was the camaraderie between the residents. It really feels like a family here and that’s incredibly important when you spend most of your time in the hospital! After residency, I would love to continue my training in fellowship for Hematology/Oncology.

Ghislain B.K. Tchomobe, MD
Undergraduate: Bowie State University, Maryland; University of Buea, Cameroon
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in IM: Hospital Medicine, Pulmonary & Critical Care, Leadership Medicine, Community Outreach Medicine.
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Traveling, movies, hiking, opera, spending time with my friends and family especially my 2 year old boy.
Why you chose NBI: I was born in Cameroon, moved to Maryland when I was 20. Never heard of the Beth before third year medical school rotation. Because I really loved the Beth, I completed almost all my fourth year rotation here as well. I was not only impressed by the pathology and the complexity of cases encountered but also how well residents got along with each other. I knew I would have a family away from my family if I were to match at NBI.
Fun Fact: My wife is an opera singer (Soprano) and I am a 2nd degree Black belt in Karate Shotokan.

PGY-1 (Class of 2023)

Desmond Aroke, MD
Medical School: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Cameroon
Interests in IM: Compassionate care, blood disorders, research (evidence-based medicine)
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Family time, playing/watching soccer, exploring nature.
Why you chose NBI: I grew up in the countryside in Cameroon, where I did most of my education but moved to the States about 2years ago. I fell in love with NBI because of its dedication to serving the community through both community-based preventive and in-hospital curative measures. I equally loved the set-up of the program, its fine faculty and the cultural diversity. During my interview, the residents were approachable and made us feel at home; I knew it would be a fun place to work. Since being here, I love the program’s abundance of pathology, the camaraderie amongst residence and the gradual clinical autonomy obtained in the course of training. Also, research is huge here at “The Beth”, with countless opportunities to join research teams in top ranking specialties. At the Beth, I am having a smooth transition as an IMG and I am happy to be here.

Sara Ausaf, MD
Undergraduate: D.H.A college, Karachi,Pakistan
Medical School: JSMU, Jinnah Sindh Medical University
Interests in IM: Hematology-Oncology, Pain Management, and Transplant, social work
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Travelling and exploring new places, Cooking and dining out, shopping and designing clothes, photography, spending time with family and friends.
Why you chose NBI: I grew up in Connecticut till I was 10 then went back to Pakistan. After completion of my med school I moved to NJ in search of residency. The day I had my interview here, I knew this was the place to be! The harmony and fun loving collaboration seen amongst residents and faculty was very inspiring. I knew the diversity of patients that I would encounter would be a great exposure.
I believe it's one of the greatest programs to be a part of as it will build your clinical skills and knowledge leading you to pursue a successful career eventually making you a great physician.
After residency I intend to bridge the gap and provide care to the underprivileged. I believe in caring whole-heartedly for your patients and bringing a smile across their face is the true success for a physician.

Ariq Azad, MD
Undergraduate: Columbia University
Medical School: Albany Medical College
Interests in IM: Hospital medicine, global health, quality improvement.
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Spending time with my family, software engineering, outdoors activities, traveling, Faith/Islam.
Why you chose NBI: As someone interested in public/global health, NBI offers strong clinical training in an underserved area where you have the opportunity to practice evidence based medicine as well as improve health outcomes for underserved patients.

Bishoy M. Barsoum, MD
Medical School: Cairo University Faculty of Medicine
Interests in IM: Cardiology/ Endocrinology
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Soccer, Spiritual Meditation
Why you chose NBI: I was born in Egypt, and moved to NJ when I was 24 and have stayed in NJ for the past 5 years. During this time, I have made many friends and connected with extended family that I have here in NJ, which has made the area very favorable for me to stay in for training. However, my main focus was on finding a program that provides me with the best training possible through an appropriate volume of patients as well as a great diversity of patients with various medical conditions. Fortunately for me, Newark Beth Israel has all these great features. Not only is it in the area where I was hoping to be, the volume and diversity of patients and medical conditions at NBI are very impressive. The faculty at NBI truly aspire to optimize resident education through appropriate balance of autonomy and supervision and also focus on resident well-being by providing a safe and supportive educational environment for all residents

Srita Chakka, MD (Preliminary – Dermatology)
Undergraduate: Case Western Reserve University
Medical School: University of California, Riverside School of Medicine
Interests in IM: Critical thinking and medical education
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Baking, hanging out with my dog, reading books, watching too many sitcoms
Why NBI: The wonderful people and the comprehensive education you can get here! My co-residents are some of the best people around and I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to spend my intern year with.

Jay Dave, DO (Preliminary – Neurology)
Undergraduate: Rutgers University
Medical School: Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Interests in IM: Stroke, Epilepsy, Movement Disorders, MS
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Exploring a new area and trying out the local restaurants/cafes, working out at the gym, playing tennis, watching the Eagles play, playing video games, reading, cooking
Why you chose NBI: So my neurology program had a linked intern year with NBI so I didn't interview here. But after working here I found that the resident culture is great. It feels like we are all part of one big family because of how well all classes of the residents get along, I can go up to anyone and they will help me with anything I need, which I think is very unique about this program. Residency is pretty tough, but having a good work environment is key, and I think NBI really excels here.

Michael Hernandez, MD (Preliminary - Anesthesiology)
Undergraduate: Seton Hall University
Medical School: St Georges University
Interests in IM: Anesthesiology
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Playing with my dog, watching movies, board games
Why you chose NBI: I grew up in NJ and when choosing a place to do my prelim year for anesthesia, NBI was at the top of my list. Throughout my interview trail for residency, I ended up bumping into PGY2 at an anesthesia program that actually did their prelim year at NBI. They said it was a great experience with great education and it prepared them well for going into anesthesiology. I will be going to Boston next year to continue my residency but I can already tell that I made the right choice for my prelim year.

Kessy Joseph, MD, MSc
Undergraduate: The University of Florida
Medical School: Ross University SOM
Interests in IM: Community Medicine, Patient Education, Culinary Medicine, Aesthetic Medicine
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Vegan cooking, wine tasting, yoga, meditation, Pilates, world travel
Why you chose NBI: Besides NBI having an internal medicine program with a strong familial feel, I chose NBI because of the diverse community we serve. As a Haitian-Canadian, It brings me great joy to be given the opportunity to provide impactful health services to a demographic that usually feels misunderstood and neglected. Also, I was impressed with the yummy food selection in the cafeteria and free parking.
Kevin Lipat, DO
Undergraduate: University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
Medical School: Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Interests in IM: Hospitalist
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Guitar/piano, basketball (Mamba Mentality), video games, spending quality time with family
Why you chose NBI: I was born in northern NJ (at the Beth!) and spent most of my life here. It was very important for me to stay close to home, and after having the chance to rotate at NBI, I knew this was the place I wanted to train. The amount of pathology you see makes the experience quite challenging, but equally as rewarding. And the family here, co-residents and program staff, is as close-knit and supportive as it gets.

Saadul-Akbar Mallam, MD
Undergraduate: University of Rochester, NY
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interest in IM: Hospitalist/Critical Care medicine
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Association Football in general, La-Liga in particular; Road trips, Ethnic Ghanaian dishes, and most importantly family!
Why you chose NBI: I rotated hear at NBI shortly before I applied for residency and I immediately got “hooked up” by the clear camaraderie of NBI internal Medicine Program and perhaps the NBI community as a whole. I was further drawn to the program due to the significant array of pathology and socioeconomic challenges facing our patient population, and the new educational/academic opportunities created courtesy of the historic Rutgers and RWJBH academic partnership.

Shelly Maniar, DO (Preliminary - Neurology)
Undergraduate: Kean University
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: discovering (and failing to cook!) new veggie dishes, reading fantasy novels, game nights with friends
Why you chose NBI? The education here is unparalleled, from the varied pathology the patient population offers to attendings/fellows/seniors who love to teach. Beyond the academics, my favorite thing about the program is the camaraderie amongst the residents. I honestly could not have asked for a more supportive environment to learn in and better people to work with! After my prelim year here, I will be starting neurology residency.

Thomas F. Nubong, MD
Undergraduate: The University of Virginia -> GO HOOS!!
Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine
Interests in IM: Interventional; Cardiovascular Disease, Critical Care Medicine. The new approaches to modern medicine esp. in device-based research and innovations in catheter-based treatments drew my interests to this specific field. Having the ability and skills to perform diagnostic and treatment procedures is both exciting and rewarding.
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: I am a huge sports fanatic. I love playing & watching, esp. football, basketball, soccer, & MMA. I also enjoy the outdoors, love traveling, listening to music, and most importantly learning and experiencing new cultures.
Why you chose NBI: I was born the 4^th out of five siblings in the country of Cameroon in West Africa. My family immigrated to the US when I was about seven years old. My love and interest in medicine came from a family dynamic that emphasized both the need and importance of helping others, specifically the less fortunate. During my interview trail, NBI provided the opportunity to work with a multi-cultural patient population that have a plethora of illnesses. It offered excellent learning opportunities both in academia and clinical medicine. The variety in pathology brought in by its patient population, along with it being a quaternary care transplant center is incomparable. It has provided me the opportunity to witness and deal with the disparities in healthcare that is prominent in our country. Above all, I am humbled to be part of the NBI family.

Rashmi Pillai MD
Undergraduate: Rutgers University - New Brunswick
Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine
Interests in IM: Hospitalist Medicine, Education
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Tennis/Roger Federer, Manchester United, Traveling
Why you chose NBI: Having grown up in Jersey I knew I wanted to maintain my strong Jersey roots. Along with staying local, I kept looking for programs that embodied why I love medicine in the first place, and I found that at the Beth. During the interview day I could tell that the program fosters collaboration and the community of senior residents and faculty really seemed to prioritize learning and career development. After being here for a few months, I know that to be true. I have no doubt that The Beth will help me prepare for the future, while still enjoying the now!

Nana Safoaah, MD
Undergraduate: Herbert H. Lehman College
Medical School: Medical University of the Americans; Ross University School of Medicine
Interests in IM: Hospitalist (Primary Care)
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Listening to music, dancing, cooking
Why you chose NBI: Growing up in Ghana, and spending part of my life in the Bronx, helped grow my interest in providing care for the underserved community, where I can always relate with my patients. NBI is a place where family has been formed from non- blood relatives, a great place to enjoy work hours, no judgement zone, and get the best training and exposure to all range of pathologies. Great, knowledgeable, friendly attendings who are always willing to teach, guide us to provide the best evidence-based medicine for our patients.

Uchechukwu Uneze MD. MPH
Undergraduate: Rutgers University
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in IM: Pulmonary & Critical Care, Education
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Sports, music, dancing, exercising, movies, and hanging out with friends and family.
Why you chose NBI: I was born in Nigeria moved to NJ at the age of 13 I love the local community and have been here ever since. Why the Beth? The Beth has a diverse population, wide range of pathology, ample learning opportunities and supervised autonomy. The camaraderie with residents, Attendings who are willing to teach medicine and other aspects of life and provide excellent feedback, the support from nurses and other ancillary staff. I am learning a great deal at the Beth and look forward to advancing my knowledge and skill as a clinician so I can better serve my patients.

Shreya Vakharia, MD
Medical School: Smt. NHL Municipal Medical College, Gujarat, India
Interests in IM: Academic Medicine, Disparities in Health Care, Hematology and Oncology
Hobbies and Interests outside of Medicine: Updating my Harry Potter Easter egg knowledge, trying the spiciest Pad Thai noodles and exploring quaint bookstores and coffee-shops in New York City
Why you chose NBI: I was born in the United States before moving to and growing up in India. When I decided to come back for my residency, I wanted a strong academic and clinical setting with a dense and diverse population. On my interview day, when I saw the camaraderie between the residents and the faculty, my heart was set on The Beth and I could not wait to be a part of this world that I now call my family.